In the Grip of a Hurricane
by serafina19
Summary: Tired of everything wrong in her life, Chloe goes out the Ace of Clubs, where she knowingly steals Oliver Queen's drink order. The small gesture leads to her to a night she never expected.
1. Chapter 1

**Timeline**: AU, but I sample canon events  
**Warning**: adult content, coarse language  
**Thanks to**: This would not have happened without renka23's song prompt from ages ago. This may not have been posted without poetgirl925 helping me out. Thank you both!

* * *

_I brace myself  
'Cause I know it's going to hurt  
But I like to think at least things can't get any worse_

Hurricane Drunk: Florence + the Machine

* * *

**In the Grip of a Hurricane**

She really couldn't believe it as she parked her car in front of her apartment.

Fired.

It really was a banner year for Chloe Sullivan. Her dream job was taken from her, by Lex Luthor no less, but that paled in comparison to her romantic life. A month ago, her relationship with Jimmy fell apart because of Clark, and while Chloe thought she was over him, she decided to do something about it a couple nights ago.

She kissed him. Hard.

But Clark turned her away, just like always, saying he didn't feel the same about her. Chloe knew that, but she hoped there was just a slight chance he would change his mind because her feelings were still there. The stupid butterflies in her stomach, the silly schoolgirl crush, it was still there. And it was _never _going to happen.

Since that night, she had been giving Clark the cold shoulder at the _Daily Planet _because she needed time away from him. She couldn't do it anymore and she needed the long brewing feelings to go away. Or at least a distraction, she thought, but getting fired wasn't on her list.

So she turned off her phone, found the sexiest dress she had in her wardrobe, her highest heels and decided to have a night on the town. After all the crap she had gone through, she deserved this.

**~0~**

Even miles away from his hometown, it seemed like nightclubs were all the same. Every couple of minutes, Oliver thought about shooing away the girls at his side, but after the results of today, feeling wanted felt good for a change.

He couldn't care less about any of their names and that didn't matter because he wasn't going home with any of them. His flight out of Metropolis was in a couple of days and he didn't intend on finding something to keep him here.

Excusing himself from his table, he approached the bartender, who was keeping up with at least ten other drink orders. Oliver manoeuvred his way through the crowd to voice his scotch order, hoping that his name would work in his favour, and it seemed to work as the bartender nodded in his direction.

Seconds later, he started pouring the glass and placed it close to Oliver, so he reached out to grab it, but a small hand snagged it first. Money came on the table not long after and before Oliver could even say anything, he noticed a petite blonde leaving the counter. Looking at the bartender momentarily, he just shrugged and took the money. He grabbed another glass and passed it to Oliver, but he had already begun to walk away, trying to figure out to where the blonde was sitting.

Finally spotting her across the room at a table by herself, Oliver felt his stare linger. The orange dress she was wearing seemed to leave very little to the imagination and the length allowed her legs to be showed off. They seemed to go for miles, impressive considering she had to be at least half a foot shorter than him, even with the silver stilettos that gave her a couple of inches. However, for a dress that seemed to command attention, the woman seemed to be focused on the drink in front of her, dictated through her unwavering distant expression.

About half-way there, he noticed a guy sit at the table across from her, so Oliver thought about turning around, but the guy left just as fast as he came. Oliver began to wonder what he was doing, approaching her like this, as there was a chance there could be someone in her life, but he kept going.

Standing by her table, Oliver was about to introduce himself, but she beat him to speaking. "Flash your smile, cliché, whatever." Throwing back the rest of the scotch, she hammered the glass against the table before looking up at him. "I'm not interested."

Blinking once, Chloe recognized her visitor this time and she only wished that she had one more sip of the scotch. She had no idea what he was doing here, let alone, why he was standing there. Sure, she stole his drink order, but the man could afford to spend more than one minute ordering a drink and honestly, that gesture shouldn't remotely leave an impression. But Chloe seemed to be wrong because he hadn't moved, even after she thought she had made herself clear.

Instead, Oliver turned to lean his back against the table, looking out towards the crowd. "Long day?" After all, scotch wasn't made to be shot down like she had just done.

Chloe scoffed as she pulled back her seat. "Like you care." Feeling her feet hit the ground, Chloe was ready to get out. Nothing was helping and the last thing she needed was to talk to another entitled billionaire.

Oliver let a chuckle out, watching her take a couple of steps before he cut off her path. "Actually, you're quite intriguing."

Her eyebrows raised at his words, as there was no menace behind them, just genuine curiosity. But she shook it aside and walked around him easily. "Right."

Unfortunately for her, Chloe didn't get too far before she found herself walking into someone else. "Hey gorgeous, guy bothering you?"

She wanted to immediately roll her eyes, but Chloe held it back, offering him a fleeting smile. "Sorry bud, not the girl in distress." The guy opened his mouth, so her gaze turned into a glare, causing the guy's eyes to widen and he left quickly.

Feeling proud that actually worked, Chloe stepped forward, but again, Oliver's words stopped her. "Well, I didn't expect that."

The guy had a point, but Chloe had learned anything, it was that she always had to fight her own battles. "If you cross the line, I can sue you for millions." Still facing away from him, Chloe smirked. "That guy... probably 20 bucks." Based on the greasy haircut and sloppy suit, that seemed to be the case.

"True," Oliver said, even though he knew this woman didn't want his money or him for that matter, any more than the guy she just dismissed. The fact she kept walking solidified that. But she didn't leave the place, instead settling in front of the bartender again for a refill.

Chloe thought about leaving, but she knew Lois would likely be at her apartment, and Chloe couldn't face her right now. As sad as this was to admit to herself, a club like this was the only place she'd be safe from Clark and Lois looking for her. For now, all she wanted was space, but it seemed that someone else wasn't getting that message.

Swirling the drink in her hand, Chloe shook her head. "So what can I do for you, Mr. Queen?" At this point, she hoped that she could eventually turn him down like the other guy and he'd leave her alone.

Oliver raised his finger for the bartender to order himself a drink. "For starters, you can level the playing field."

"Sorry," she replied insincerely, "I'm not telling you my name." The question of why he wanted to know her name was definitely on her mind, but Chloe held her tongue.

The remark Oliver expected, considering her hard-to-get nature, but he kept pressing. "Any name then."

Chloe put her drink down and glared at him. The idea of having a conversation of Oliver Queen would have been unimaginable before she arrived, but she had to admit, this was the most fun she had all night. "And then what?"

It wasn't like she was interested in what followed; it was more curiosity coming into play. Just how far was an infamous playboy willing to go to maintain her attention... especially considering her lack of appeal to _anyone _in Metropolis?

Oliver pointed to her glass, "I can tell you that the stuff you were drinking is not strong enough for what you want it to do." Being around her now, Oliver could see that tonight wasn't about the company, the dress; it was about drinking. Whoever she was, bad didn't even begin to cover what was going on in her head.

Which is why it pained Chloe to think that Oliver was right. A couple scotches down and she didn't feel anything other than lousy. So she peered in his direction to ask, "You have a better solution?"

Downing the rest of his own scotch, Oliver hid his distaste with a smile after feeling the low-quality crap go down his throat. However, such is the risk when he visited places like this and had been exposed to better stuff. And even though Oliver knew this wasn't about him, he knew she would never go with him anywhere. "None that you'll agree to."

_Smart man_, Chloe thought. But tonight was different. Normally, this dress would still be collecting dust, she would have been drinking at home and she definitely not be drinking with Oliver Queen. So she figured... what the hell. "Try me," she said quietly, seeing Oliver's eyes widen, causing Chloe to laugh in consequence. When no response came, Chloe took another drink. "You've got ten seconds Queen."

He let a couple seconds go by to pick his words carefully, not expecting to even have this chance. Sure, his reputation with the ladies was solid, but even that had limits. So he stuck to the simplest explanation. "Better scotch, no migraine-inducing music and better company?"

"Seriously? That's the line you use to pick up women." Chloe rolled her eyes as she looked around, but she froze as she stared across the club. _You have got to be kidding me_, she thought as she couldn't believe her luck tonight. So before she had a chance to think about it, she blurted, "Fine."

It was Oliver's turn to blink in confusion. "Excuse me?"

"You want to get out of here?" Chloe asked, pulling her stool out, knowing she had to move fast. "So do I."

**~0~**

Minutes later, the elevator that would lead to Oliver's penthouse shut and it was just them.

Chloe felt her breathing increase right away, expecting him to make a move, to do... something. But he just stood there, so she felt a little confused. Weren't playboys supposed to be handsy or at least a little possessive? His words matched the reputation, but his nonverbal spoke much louder than words.

However, Chloe eventually shook that aside. Maybe he made his move once they were inside the penthouse.

As the elevator opened, Chloe entered first, looking around as she slipped off her heels, grateful to feel the cool floor against them. "So this is how the one per cent lives."

Taking an extra second in the elevator, Oliver checked her out from behind, almost ignoring her words. "I guess," he replied, finally walking towards his liquor collection in the main area. As he poured the scotch into the glasses, he found himself staring as she smoothly pulled off her coat, laying it near the elevator.

When he looked back, Oliver noticed that he had poured a little much in the second glass, so he took a long sip, evening out the two. Satisfied, he walked over to her, handing her the untouched glass, "As promised."

Chloe took the glass with a slight nod, but she had noticed the drink he had taken earlier. All these little things, she wanted to ignore them, but they didn't add up. "You really are nothing like you're portrayed are you?"

Oliver's eyes narrowed, not sure what gave her that impression. "Really?"

"Game is solid, the smile's a nice touch." Chloe smiled back, but it faded fast as she looked back over to where Oliver was pouring the drinks. But she didn't mean to blurt, "You don't want anyone to know how miserable you are," even if she meant it.

Initially, Oliver thought it was a line of some sort, but watching her react to her own words, he realized that she was indeed serious. So he tried to correct, "I'm not miserable."

Chloe scoffed, deciding to run with it now that it had been said. "Please don't take this as me giving you permission... but I'm pretty sure an infamous playboy would attempt to have me undressed in the elevator." She knew her own sex life was slim to none these days, or any day, but she couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to their encounter than she initially thought. "So why the persistence in the offer?"

Their eye contact locking, silence filled the air for a few seconds. Oliver broke it as he took a couple of calculated paces towards her. "I don't know, but you were pretty persistent about getting out of there. Or did that have anything to do with that guy?"

Oliver wasn't an idiot; after she took his offer he looked around and noticed someone who seemed incredibly out of place. Stood out like a sore thumb, the poor guy. He looked familiar, even though Oliver couldn't place him, but it was clear she knew him.

Chloe's mouth gaped open, surprised he had noticed the tiny slip on her face, but she maintained her cool. "Piece of advice, don't try to justify your victory... relish it instead because normally I wouldn't have accepted." Taking a step back, she turned her back to him, walking towards the couch to have a seat.

There was no way in hell they were getting into that discussion because Chloe didn't want to dwell on it anymore. Finally taking a sip, Chloe could see what Oliver meant as the alcohol soothed her throat. "Although I do have to say, the scotch was worth the trip."

He had watched her walk away, continued to stare as she rotated the glass in her hand. Eventually, he took his own sip. "Thank you."

"So what brings the great Oliver Queen to our side of the country?" They could take the girl away from journalism, but journalistic tendencies would always be in Chloe's heart, even in times like this. It was also the easiest way to avoid the Clark conversation.

Giving her a shrug, Oliver said calmly, "Something that didn't work out." It was more like something that he saw coming, but it had to be done.

"See?" Chloe said, pointing at him, at the look on his face. "Miserable." She smirked, although Oliver didn't see it as she got up from the couch faced away from him. Looking out the window, for a minute, her eyes were lost in seeing the entire Metropolis skyline in front of her.

Meanwhile, Oliver could only chuckle at her assessment, for while it wasn't spot on, it was close. Disappointment more covered his current state, but it was mild at best. Furthermore, he had watched her long enough to he wasn't the only one less than content tonight. "I guess it takes one to spot one." She didn't even try to argue with him, as she turned to look at him again. Instead of a defensive remark or a change of conversation, a tilt of her head was her only reaction.

Noticing her glass was almost empty, Oliver figured it was only polite to ask, "Top up?"

Part of Chloe wanted to leave once the glass was finished, but instead, she handed him her glass. "Sure, why not?" One more drink couldn't hurt at this point.

Oliver refilled it, but left his glass behind, walking towards her again. He could see that her eyes were on the glass, even as he passed it to her. But the moment his fingers released it, her green eyes came up, meeting his. Something felt different now, as there was a sudden intensity in her expression, yet at the same time, vulnerability. Leaning towards her just slightly, Oliver noticed that she wasn't backing away.

Putting her glass down carefully, Chloe stepped forward, all the while wondering what was she doing. This wasn't her, she didn't do this. Even if she _was _pissed at Clark and trying to avoid all signs of romance in her life after her break-up with Jimmy, Chloe never did anything like this.

Yet as her face moved to within inches of his, Chloe realized that she had played it safe her entire life. Playing the nice card. Maybe for once she'd be that girl, the one who threw caution in the wind. After all, tonight wouldn't mean anything to a guy like Oliver.

But that didn't stop him from teasing, "You're making your playboy comment harder to believe." He didn't want to wreck the mood, but the last thing he wanted right now was to misinterpret it.

"Well," Chloe said with a slight sigh, breaking the contact barrier between them, running her hands up his chest, resting them on his shoulders. "I won't be staying for breakfast."

Suddenly, her eyes contained a playful glint, so Oliver moved his hand to cradle the back of her head. "As long as you don't sue me for millions by lunch."

"I can work with that." And with that, Chloe leaned up and kissed him and it didn't take too long for Oliver to kiss her back.

* * *

_Sera's Scribbles: Okay, I don't usually define dresses, but I decided to make an exception for this fic. Chloe's dress in this chapter is this little number._

_I could regret posting this now, but the muse is cooperating and I'm not about to mess with it. That said, you all know what's ahead, and how I worry ridiculously with this stuff... but it's just about done. With any luck, my worry will be for nothing._


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

His lips were rougher than she imagined, not that she thought about it before, but considering his status, Chloe figured it would be different. She also thought that she wouldn't fall for his stupid charms, but here she was, drawn more into it as each second went by.

Somewhere in the first few seconds, his other hand had found the way to the zipper of her dress and with no hesitation in his fingers, she felt the material come loose. All this time, he was still kissing her, giving her more passion in one kiss than she had felt during her entire relationship with Jimmy.

_Wait, was that possible?_

One more stroke of his tongue inside her mouth elicited a moan from Chloe and she knew that it was. So she made quick work of his tie, having more than enough experience teaching the men in her life trying to tie one. She wanted to roll her eyes for having her mind travelling there, but instead, Chloe pushed herself even closer to Oliver. Their chests skimmed against each other as Oliver lifted her in the air, moving her so her bare back hit the wall.

Their lips finally disengaged, Oliver didn't waste any time moving to her neck. "Don't suppose I could have that name now?"

"Nice try," she whispered back, while trying to bite the inside of her lip. There was no way something so simple could feel this good. Lifting her head, she allowed Oliver better access as muffled noises continued to escape her.

Moving her away from the wall, Oliver felt her feet tug tighter against his back, feeling the tightness in his pants increase. The woman was a mess, but whoever she was, she affected him more than Oliver expected. Walking backwards, the back of his legs came in contact with the couch, causing him to fall to a sitting position, which seemed to suit her just fine.

Kneeling on the couch, Chloe was quick to straddle Oliver, looking slightly down at him. She took a breath, not expecting that her night would lead her here, but oddly, she didn't want to leave. Making quick work of the buttons of his shirt, Chloe pushed it open, only admiring the view for a couple seconds. She'd be a fool not to, but she was rather enjoying her position of control and she planned to keep it that way for just a little while.

Kissing him again, she decided to multitask, as Oliver felt her body grind hard against his groin and he couldn't hold back the groan anymore. But that didn't stop her, in fact, she increased her pace and Oliver could practically visualize the smirk on her face before opening his eyes.

Trying to ignore the way his pants were becoming increasingly constricting, Oliver shrugged his shirt down his arms, taking note of the way her eyes stared at his biceps for just a second. Oliver took the distraction to wrap his fingers around her arms, pushing them both back up to a standing position.

When the surprise wore off her face, he leaned in to whisper in her ear, "Admit it." Oliver kept his mouth inches from her as his hands moved towards the straps of her dress, sliding the material from her body. "You didn't come here for a quickie on the couch."

Chloe tilted her head unconsciously at his point, as she felt pretty speechless. He continued to stand over her, his hands moving to grip her hips, somehow pulling her closer, enough to feel his erection against her body. It was enough to get Chloe to grin, so she confidently stepped over her dress, knowing the dusty pink lingerie was the only items of clothing that remained on her figure. However, based on Oliver's continued stare at her body, he didn't seem to mind and Chloe soon found her voice.

"So what are you waiting for?"

That was all that Oliver needed, as he began to lead her towards his bedroom. On the way, he noticed how her hands had moved to his pants, undoing the button, moving the zipper down slowly. She took notice of her surroundings and managed to drop his pants at the right time.

So before he entered the room, he stepped out of his pants carefully, noticing the darkness of the room within. But within seconds, Oliver realized that it brought more fire out of his female company.

The darkness suited her as not only did it shoo away Chloe's shyness, but it also erased most of his features from his face, reminding her of what this night was. Granted, she could still see Oliver beyond all this, but not enough to appreciate his slightly attractive five-o-clock shadow, his captivating brown eyes, not to mention all the contours of his chest, like before. Then again, her fingers were doing a good enough job of exploring the latter, even in the dark.

She twisted her fingers, dragging her nails down his chest, and she heard him hiss in response as they approached the bed. Oliver had stopped momentarily when they got there, as Chloe could feel a slight rotation of her body, but she noticed him fishing around a drawer in the bedside table, eventually grabbing the foil package and tossing it backwards before they both fell onto the bed.

Oliver was quick to change positions so that he was on top of her, however, even less time went by before he made his first move. Two fingers slid up the side of her thighs, grasping the bottom of her underwear as he began to slowly pull them down her body. Every inch they seemed to move, Chloe felt herself holding her breath, letting it go as they were fully removed. They were practically useless anyway, as she had felt their wetness even before she practically gave him an abbreviated lap dance on the couch.

His dark eyes met hers once more as he disposed of his boxers, tossing them in a similar direction. Moving atop of her, he kissed her lips again, slipping his hand under her back, lifting her up to bring her closer. Eventually, she had wrapped her arms around his neck, smoothing her fingers down his back as she held on.

The kiss was short this time, and Chloe felt the clasp of her bra become loose before falling back hard to the mattress again, but Oliver was far from finished. Chloe watched as he reached to grab the condom, tearing the package with his teeth. So while he was occupied, she took off her bra, laying it down beside her. Oliver had made it clear that he had no problem with her body, a first in her life, and the thing had become unnecessary since the clasp was undone.

What she didn't see was how Oliver's eyes flickered up as he noticed her moving. Initially, he thought she had changed her mind, which wouldn't have been a surprise to him, but as her back rotated back to her lying position, he took a second to admire her beauty.

She wasn't his usual type, sure, but there was something about her naturally curvy body that caught his eye from the moment he saw her. The fact that she could walk the fine line between confidence and vulnerability so easily and be honest with him only fascinated Oliver more.

But he shook out of his trance and got back to work. Placing his hands closer on the inside of her thighs, he felt her tense slightly as he inched towards her clit. "How long?" he asked, not expecting an answer.

Initially, Chloe wanted to scoff, but instead, she decided to say, "Too long." She didn't want to overthink this and she couldn't walk away now. As his fingertips massaged her thighs, Chloe felt herself relax and she actually felt herself lift her hips up, wanting more. Fortunately, he didn't wait too long to oblige her, as a cry of surprise escaped Chloe when his fingers went inside of her.

"There," Oliver said, pushing his finger upwards and hearing her cry in response. "Was that so bad?" He started pumping his fingers back and forth, finding a rhythm that worked with her, but when he paused, she still managed to hold onto some of her cool.

"Was that all you got?" Chloe asked, somehow managing to raise her eyebrows incredulously through everything. She knew poking the bear didn't have much of a point, but she couldn't resist. Her body and inexperience were saying otherwise, but Chloe didn't want to make things easy for him.

Except to her surprise, Oliver pulled his finger out before sliding his other hand down her side. Pausing at her breasts, he painted a circle around her bare nipple, which hardened as the contact increased, even more so as he cleaned up, lapping his tongue around the area.

Repeating the action on the other side, Chloe felt herself getting close to release. It didn't help that when he was finished, Oliver returned to her lips to kiss her roughly. As she opened her mouth, she could taste herself in her mouth, enhanced once Oliver's tongue met hers and Chloe felt herself groan in response. She never imagined that this could actually turn her on, but at this point, Chloe was pretty sure anything would.

At this point, Chloe felt lost as his tongue continued to explore her mouth, his hands gripped tightly to her body, but that was nothing in comparison to feeling his length enter her. And he didn't hold back either. She let out a gasp, but it was muffled by Oliver's persistence in kissing her. A thrust or two later, Chloe finally felt herself let go.

Oliver released her lips, watching her as her orgasm came in, the way her eyes shut and for the first time, he noticed a hint of satisfaction in her expression. It should have been a boost to his ego, but Oliver didn't think of it that way as his own climax was approaching.

It was a mutual exchange, because in a way, they both needed this. Oliver may not understand what she was going through, in fact, he didn't know much about this woman, but he could sense that she needed to feel like this. Wanted, alive in this way. If nothing else, her reaction to the stranger in the bar solidified that.

But that was as much thinking as Oliver was willing to do that night, as he knew one round wasn't going to cut it for either of them. It's why he didn't want to waste too much time with foreplay, and instead let his downstairs brain do the work. After all, it wasn't every situation that was possible.

Noticing her high coming to an end, Oliver pushed deeper, seeing her hips jerk in response and feeling her work with him. Never again did she show her insecurities, and as time went by, the confidence inside of her felt prominent.

In fact, Chloe had no idea where it was coming from. Initially, she chalked it up to trying to keep up with him, but this felt too natural to be the case. He felt amazing inside of her and despite barely knowing her; he seemed to know what made her tick.

Yet she could tell he was enjoying himself as well, if nothing else, by the fact he kept going. Chloe wanted to say she had control in this situation, but the truth was, she had long handed over the reins, let him pleasure her like this. It wasn't her norm, but she would be lying if she said this wasn't worth it.

And if he wasn't kissing her, he maintained eye contact, watching her intently as he moved his cock inside her, from teasing her centre, to slightly changing angles to find that exact spot that caused Chloe to scream his name. Yet even through his motions, his pace and her breathing, Chloe could hear the odd noise that escaped him, all but telling Chloe that she was at least meeting some of his needs. That also didn't include how many times he had come, although Chloe had also lost count of the number of orgasms she experienced, a first for her.

Eventually, he pulled out of her, and while Chloe whimpered quietly, she knew there was no way she could go another round. Before, there had been no such thing as another round, but tonight had completely made up for that. Oliver hovered over her for a second and then manoeuvred himself to lie on the mattress. Her breathing was still hard as she watched him close his eyes without saying goodnight.

Moving her eyes to stare at the ceiling, Chloe felt her chest still rising up and down, not to mention the other sensations throughout her body. The problem now was that she wasn't exactly an expert in one night stands. Was she supposed to leave? Because she really didn't want to go home, knowing that Clark was looking for her and thanks to at least the last couple of rounds, Chloe was really tired.

So she closed her eyes, rotating her body to face away from Oliver, feeling the tolerable, yet pleasing pain from in-between her thighs as she turned. This was everything that she wanted and for now that would have to do. Her walk of shame would come in the morning... when she could actually walk.

* * *

_Sera's Scribbles: First of all, thank you so much for the lovely feedback. It makes me so happy to see that you enjoyed the first chapter, so here's hoping this was okay. I've written M before, and I honestly thought it was supposed to get easier after my first attempt, but I still blush like crazy._

_Now, in case you haven't seen my poll entry on LJ and you're wondering how the heck I'm ending this in one chapter- don't, because I'm not. Consider this an extended prologue._


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

This was wrong.

Actually, this was worse than wrong. No matter how much she despised the man, her body still felt amazing as she stretched herself awake. Peeking over her shoulder, Chloe noticed that Oliver was still sleeping, which worked for her. The one thing she did know about the standard protocol for one night stands was that the squatter was required to jet out, so besides an awkward walk of shame back to her place... it seemed like she better get moving.

Her underwear was easy, as she quickly gathered them and put them on. She paused only once to look back at the bed that she lay in not that long ago. Part of her felt wanted to regret it, because even if it was just a game to both of them, Chloe wished she could have found a different stranger.

Except... there was this nagging feeling in her mind that she got to legitimately know Oliver Queen. She couldn't explain it, but there was something in his mannerism that scratched beyond the surface of the persona. However, she didn't and she couldn't think about it anymore because it wasn't like she was going to see him again. Get out and forget it ever happened... that was the plan.

Entering the main area again, she found her dress and worked it on her body. She never thought that she'd wear this particular number that Lois bought for her after Jimmy broke up with her, but Chloe could retire it now, knowing that for one night, it had done its job.

"Leaving so soon?"

Closing her eyes, she tried to figure out the words to address this situation. She decided on, "The feigned hurt is touching," with her back still turned to him as she zipped up her dress. "But not all of us can afford to be late for work." It was a lie, but he didn't need to know about that. After all, this was far from her plan. She figured that Oliver would be more than willing to let her leave undisturbed.

"Fine with me," he replied as he held out her shoes in front of her. After her hand reached out and took them, he felt himself lost in staring at her as she bent over to put her shoes on. "Did the scotch do what you needed?" he asked quickly, having this sneaking suspicion that she would actually slap him if he was caught checking out her ass.

Fortunately for him, the idea that he was even looking at her never crossed Chloe's mind, so she just rolled her eyes as she stood back up. "Cute," she replied, but she stopped suddenly when she turned around. She couldn't say why she was surprised that he hadn't put a shirt on, at least he wasn't completely naked in front of her, but she felt her mouth gaping against her better nature.

Oliver thought about calling her on it, but once she cleared her throat and walked around him, he let her enter the elevator without further a further word. It wasn't the ending he was going for, but based on the way she was walking, Oliver knew that she didn't want to hear anything he had to say. Besides, she was right. He couldn't afford to be much later in getting to work today. The sooner he got finished his work, the sooner he could go back to Star City.

Except for some reason, the desire to go home had seriously decreased since the night before.

**~0~**

Two minutes.

That's all the time Chloe had to herself before her phone rang. She pressed the ignore button, but it seemed that ignoring her phone last night had consequences. Twenty missed calls, twelve from Lois, eight from Clark. A little excessive in her opinion, but not a shock either. She would have to call them eventually, or else Lois would probably call in a favour from her father, and as much as Chloe loved her Uncle Sam...this was hardly an emergency.

Although Chloe hadn't helped her case, as she was in such a rush to leave Oliver's that she forgot her coat. But that was a lost cause now, as there was no way she wanted to go back. She would just have to buy a new one... with her limited income. Or lack thereof as of yesterday.

Sighing as she raised her head to the sky, Chloe realized that she _really _hated her life right now.

But she picked up her phone nonetheless, realizing it was better to tackle this sooner than later, as Chloe doubted that she could keep this from Lois. Regrettably dialling her number, it took a grand total of one ring for Lois to pick up. "_Where the heck have you been?" _

Chloe bit the inside of her lip, deciding to initially sugar coat the situation as she didn't want to explain it, as it was bad enough that she was practically sharing this experience with various people walking down the street. They saw the dress, her appearance, but they sure didn't need to know the details. "What matters is that I'm okay Lois, so you don't need to worry anymore."

_"Nice try, but you get fired and then you're M.I.A. Something happened."_

Something did happen, and the irony was that Lois would likely be _proud _of Chloe for doing this. However, the person now standing in front of her was a different scenario. Chloe quickly stopped her walking progress, realizing that her discussion with her cousin would have to wait. "Lois, I'll call you later," she said, hanging up the phone.

As she stashed the phone in her clutch, Chloe sighed, knowing that Clark catching her like this might actually be worse than any conversation with Lois. "What?"

He stood there, just blinking at Chloe as he took in her attire, her slightly dishevelled hair. It suggested something, but that wasn't the Chloe he knew. "What happened to you last night?"

Well, at least there was one possible thing in that Clark hadn't seen her at the Ace of Clubs. "I went out. By myself. And I survived just fine." It was abrupt, sure, but she had learned long ago, the less Clark knew, the better.

"You look... different." Clark really wasn't sure what else to say. Normally, Chloe wouldn't wear this sort of dress, not to mention the stilettos on her feet. In fact, it felt like more than just her appearance, _everything _seemed different.

However, Chloe shrugged it off. "I'm entitled to look like a woman instead of a college student." She thought about pressing it further, but her thought process stopped when she peered down. "What happened to your shoes?"

Lifting his other shoe, Clark wiped off the residual vomit off his shoe. At the Ace of Clubs, he looked down for only one second when a guy threw up all over his shoes. While he was grateful that his shoes were the only thing that got hit, he really thought that he had cleaned it off before, but apparently not. "I... I was looking for you." Noticing how Chloe's expression fell almost instantly, Clark was ready to justify his actions. "Look Chloe, Lois and I—"

He meant well, but Chloe didn't want to hear it. "I know you and Lois want to be helpful, but... I just needed some space." Focusing on how stupid she thought Lex was, or how she had screwed up so much in her life wasn't going to change the fact that she got fired. Nor does it change the fact that this scenario was far from what Chloe planned.

Unfortunately for her, Clark stuck on that line of conversation. "He should never have done that. I know I'm partially to blame for all this."

Chloe shut her eyes, mustering all her frustration into what she said next. "It's _my_job Clark... and I lost it. Not you." Looking at him now, Chloe could still see how Clark wanted to blame himself for this. It was a great theory, but no matter his intentions, it didn't help. "I can stand perfectly fine on my own two feet."

Reaching forward to put his hand on her shoulder, Clark said softly, "Chloe, I care about you. Even after what happened..."

Quick to shrug his hand off her shoulder, Chloe scoffed. "Oh, I know Clark. Trust me... I know." The butterflies may not have been as powerful as she remembered them being before, but Chloe still felt hurt. It was hard to admit this to him, but Clark was the last person who was going to make her feel better. "I just... I get to have a life sometimes outside of what I do for you." Covering her mouth immediately after saying that, Chloe added, "Sorry, that came out harsher than I intended."

She meant every word, but at the same time, Clark didn't deserve that. In the end, Chloe had never hesitated in helping him and that was her fault, not his.

But that in itself inspired something. This, all the stuff she had gone through, it was a chance to wipe the slate clean, to look for a life outside of where Clark led her. Live _her _life, make decisions for herself, which, she had to admit, sounded great in her head.

While Chloe was enjoying an internal monologue, Clark shuffled his feet, instead sensing a prolonged guilt on her part, so he cracked a smile. "It's okay." He had to understand where she was coming from and he owed her enough to listen to her, give her the space she needed. "I'll... see you around."

Chloe's head popped up, just barely catching Clark's grin before he whooshed away. While she was surprised, she knew enough to know that wasn't the end of things. He'd likely harp on her later or something, but considering the bruising he had done to her earlier this week, Chloe felt grateful that he let her go up to her apartment in peace. The walk home, despite only being a couple blocks, had never felt so long in her life. But she was home now, so she could shower, get changed and begin her job search.

Except when she opened the door, Chloe found her cousin sitting at her kitchen table. She had been tapping her finger on the table, but that promptly stopped as she saw Chloe in the doorway. "Holy..._crap!_"

Chloe rolled her eyes as she closed the door behind her. She knew that she would live to regret the day she gave Lois her apartment key. "Why aren't you at work?"

Lois laughed at her cousin's ineffective attempt to change the conversation. "Because your well-being is much more important than working for that stupid man and if you think I'm not noticing the fact you're wearing the dress that you swore that you never would... you're mistaken." Standing from her seat, Lois faced Chloe, crossing her arms across her chest. "How was it?"

Sighing, Chloe put down her purse before entering the kitchen quietly, grateful that Lois had brewed a pot of coffee. This morning certainly hadn't gone as planned so far and ever since she ran into Clark, the plan about coming clean to Lois flew out the window. "Lois, I really don't want to get into this right now."

Lois shrugged before she walked over to where Chloe was standing. She knew it was an uncomfortable situation for Chloe, but this was big. So big that this was likely never going to happen again, so Lois was planning on enjoying it, even for just a couple of seconds. "I know, but there's a reason that 'shame' is involved in the title of this encounter, so indulge me. Name, height, build... and any other details you're willing to share."

Knowing she wasn't going to get out of this easy, Chloe decided to divulge one small detail. "We… didn't formally introduce ourselves." That much was true, as she had called Oliver out on his identity.

Eyes widening, Lois couldn't believe that Chloe would resort to anonymous sex, but after years of telling her to do something adventurous, it seemed like that Chloe had just that. With no coaching from her either, which made it more interesting. "From one to ten… and if you say anything less than a seven, I won't believe you."

Staring at her cup, at the coffee within, Chloe genuinely thought about it. The actual act itself, it was... it was everything she wanted and more. But she had to lie. "Nine, I guess."

"Huh," Lois replied curiously, seeing right through the lie, but out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the clock in Chloe's kitchen. She didn't want to admit it, but Chloe was right. As much as she hated Lex, Lois didn't want to lose her job and she knew it wouldn't take much right now. "That'll have to suffice for now, but we'll talk later."

With that, Lois walked towards the door, leaving Chloe alone in her apartment. Hearing the door click, Chloe dropped her coffee cup as it wasn't doing what she needed to, so she headed to the shower, wanting to clean herself off.

Except when the water washed over her, the feeling, the memory was coming back to her. She felt her body tighten as she cleansed her skin, a normal morning routine that felt lacking after her experience last night. Reaching towards the faucets, Chloe turned the cold hard to the left, biting her lip as the water quickly changed.

This was going to be a long morning.

**~0~**

_Hmmm... much better._

Sipping her coffee from her favourite coffee cart guy, Chloe felt herself grin as she walked down the street again, this time in normal clothes. The sun was shining, she had coffee, she could walk again, these were good things.

But she froze as she passed past the paper stand down the block, noticing a familiar face on the cover of the Inquisitor. Normally, she wouldn't be caught dead reading the trash, but for some reason, she just had to know. When Oliver told her that something didn't work out, Chloe assumed it was business related, and that he'd be gone soon.

Paying the tenant, Chloe immediately scanned the article, which went through the usual trash with his reputation, but it did include that he was in town to handle some business matters and that he'd be gone in a couple of days. That worked for Chloe, the sooner he got of here, the better. He would never know who she was and they could both forget that it ever happened.

With a smirk, Chloe proudly tossed the Inquisitor in the garbage. It was one night. One _incredible _night, but Oliver Queen had done his job, taking her mind off her troubles, flickering a light in her confidence. It was the silver lining from the night that was, and from here, she hoped that she could move on from Clark, from Lex, start over properly. If nothing else, find a way to at least breakeven because it could only go up from here.

Today… was a new day. It was a new phase in her life and this time, there was no way Chloe was going to let herself get consumed by some stupid billionaire. She would live her life her way; maybe even find happiness along the way. After everything she had experienced in the last little while, Chloe could use a little optimism.

**~End~**

* * *

_Sera's Scribbles: Again, this is an ending to an extended prologue for the story to come, as I wanted to show appreciation for the song prompt that inspired this fic. Again, thanks to _ _renka23__. "Breakeven" shouldn't be too far away, where their paths cross much sooner than either expected._


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